Shirley Ashelford Brannan

Ralph and Shirley are dancing together again. Shirley Ashelford Brannan joined Ralph in death on July 31, 2015. Shirley leaves their three children, Kathy Brannan Arle, Debbie Brannan Wood and Gary Thomas Brannan and their spouses Steve, Sam and Rene. She was a loving Gramma to Melissa Wood, Nathan Wood, Matt Wood, Jamie & Corrie (Watkins) Brannan and Ben Brannan. She will also be missed by many nieces and nephews as well as by Ralph's sister Lila Mapps of Marshall, Texas. When Ralph and Shirley met, she was dating someone else. But Ralph stole her heart and they were together for the next 68 years, marrying in 1947 when Ralph returned home from the Navy. From their hometown of Central City, Nebraska, they moved to Ames, Iowa; Newark, Ohio; Spartanburg, South Carolina and finally Rock Hill, South Carolina. In addition to these moves, they explored the world - from North and South America to Europe and Africa. Shirley and Ralph worked to beautify every yard they had. Their Fairlawn neighborhood yard was often included in the Garden Tours of Rock Hill's "Come See Me". Shirley also worked with Historic Brattonsville, helping to identify and to plant the plants of that period. When she & Ralph moved to Westminster Towers, they worked on the courtyard there as well. She was also active for many years in the Floribunda Garden Club. They were active in every church they attended, including Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church in Rock Hill. There, Shirley especially loved working on the church library and archives and listening to their beautiful organ. Shirley loved traveling, gardening and being active in her church, but her greatest joy was her five grandchildren. Her greatest memories were the slumber party nights when the kids slept on the floor in their bedroom or when she and Melissa played dress-up in her large closet or when the kids played with Ralph in the pool at their home. With Ralph's descent into Alzheimer's disease, Shirley became passionate in raising money for the Alzheimer's Association. She and her family have proudly walked in the last three Rock Hill Alzheimer's Walks. The family thanks Hospice and Community Care, the staff and residents of Westminster Towers and Westminster HomeBridge for their loving care. A service to celebrate Shirley's life will be held at Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church August 13th at 3:00 p.m. The family will receive friends following the service in the church's Fellowship Hall. Also on the 13th, the family will receive friends from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Community Room at Westminster Towers. Memorials to Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church Organ Fund at 421 Oakland Ave., Rock Hill, SC 29730; to Hospice & Community Care at P.O. Box 993, Rock Hill, SC 29731 or to The Alzheimer's Association, South Carolina Chapter, 901 S Pine St, Spartanburg, SC 29302.

Service Information

Thursday, August 13th, 2015 3:00pm, Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church